THE WALL (1979)
How the hell do I begin to review this album? One thing is for certain, It is a unique album. It divides fans and critics alike. It has some of the most bloated, sychophantic music ever commited to vinyl, yet there are some genuinely brilliant pieces of music dotted around the initial 4 sided doubled album.
The albums instigator is Roger Waters. Thematically and musically he basically steamrollered the band into making this album. What is intriguing is that whilst obviously coming across as a piece of bloated egotism, it was also a sincere piece of writing and a genuine attempt to express the alienation that Waters felt. This is the paradox. By attempting a musical catharsis of his inner thoughts, Waters only suceeded in finally alienating virtually all those close to him.
One of the most significant aspects of the album is (rightly or wrongly) Waters baring of his soul to all and sundry. There are some moments of exquiste tenderness on the first half of the album that are lyrically AND musically exceptional. Mother is such an example. Don't Leave Me Now also tugs at the heart strings and Waters vocals, although never his best attribute; scream heartache and loss.
However, one of the main problems with the album is creating a third person narrative through the fictional character Pink.
The aforementioned tracks are so obviously Waters emotions, that the creation of a jaded rock star bemoaning his life (Empty Spaces for example) seems trite and a cop out for Waters. He wants to brave his soul but just when it seems like the end of the world, the figure of Pink appears.
It's a shame that this device is used so much during the album. The need to hide behind a fictitous character smacks of a cop out to me and I would have appreciated the album so much more if Waters stopped hiding behind the shadow puppet and laid his soul bare AND acknowledged that is is him.
Unfortunately by creating this character he becomes self indulgent and loses sight of the music. It becomes secondary in many parts of the albums second half, when the story takes precedent over the music and becomes not much more than a bleeding heart soap opera.
When Waters let's someone in to his world at this point we get some of the albums most lauded pieces-Run like Hell and Comfortably Numb are some of the Floyd's best tracks and this is not just because I am judging them on a Gilmour adoration.
He let someone in on his world musically and it produced some damn fine music. Waters=Lyrics. Gilmour=Melody. However with the exception of these latter half highlights, I always run out of patience with this album.
Wright was famously sacked during the recording and it shows. There is barely any decent keyboard lines throughout and was a sad indictement of Waters and Wrights relationship at that time.
What is annoying about this album is the magnitude of Waters ego and the self pitying attitude that is all over this album. whilst I would never wish unhappiness on any single member of the human race, we should keep things in perspective.
Waters lost his Grandfather in WW1. He was going through a divorce and he spat on a fan 2 years previously. This produced The Wall. Not a great life but hardly an excuse to bemoan his life. The album becomes one long whinge and I run out of patience before the end , despite some great tracks such as Hey You suggesting otherwise.
I think this is Floyds worst album by far and although the production is exemplarary and it deals directly with emotions, I find it one of their most emotionally cold releases ever.
As a side note. The film version of The Wall is a flawed yet fascinating piece of work that provides me with more entertainment than the album ever does.